Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1987
Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 12, 1987, 3:06 AM CDT for Dallas County, Polk County, Iowa. It was in force for 4 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 12, 1987, 3:06 AM CDT (08:06 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 12, 1987, 7:00 AM CDT
- In force
- 4 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Dallas County, IA, Polk County, IA
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
The nearest sounding before it
Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 8.1 hours before the alert went out and 217 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 3602 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 20 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 98 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 145 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KDSM 120808 FFWDSM IAC153-049-121200- <PQ< BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 306 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 700 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF CENTRAL IOWA... WESTERN POLK AND EASTERN DALLAS A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR IS OCCURRING. TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS IMMEDIATELY. A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS BEING ISSUED FOR WALNUT CREEK IN THE WESTERN PARTS OF THE DES MOINES AREA. AT 300 AM CDT THE CREEK WAS FLOODING IN DALLAS COUNTY AND ALSO WAS BANKFULL AT 142ND STREET...132ND STREET...AND AT BUFFALO ROAD IN WEST DES MOINES. AT 63RD STREET THE CREEK WAS AT 10.8 FEET AT 63RD STREET. THE CREEK WILL CONTINUE TO RISE AND IT WILL REACH A COUPLE FEET ABOVE BANKFULL IN MOST AREAS. THE FLOODING WILL NOT BE NEARLY AS SIGNIFICANT AS THE FLOOD OF MAY 1986. ONE POSITIVE NOTE...THE HEAVY RAINS ARE OVER FOR THIS AREA. LIGHT SHOWERS WILL BE AROUND DURING THE MORNING HOURS. PEOPLE IN FLOOD PRONE OR LOW LYING AREAS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND AT ONCE. ACT QUICKLY..AS FLOOD WATERS OFTEN RISE RAPIDLY. IF YOU ARE DRIVING..DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS..ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM ON FOOT WHERE THE WATER IS ABOVE YOUR KNEES4. ADAMS
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 11, 10:08 PM CDT, 4 hours 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 1000 PM CDT SAT JUL 11 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 1AM FOR PARTS OF NORTHERN IOWA... AT 1000PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT WATERLOO WAS SHOWING A NARROW BAND OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST IOWA FROM 40 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO NEAR FLOYD TO 20 MILES WEST OF WATERLOO NEAR PARKERSBURG. THESE STORMS WILL BE IN THE NEW HAMPTON AND WAVERLY AREA BETWEEN 1030 AND 1100 PM CDT. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUST WINDS AS THEY MOVE EAST AROUND 25 MILES AN HOUR. IN ADDITION TO THESE VERY STRONG STORMS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS WAS OCCURING OVER MUCH OF NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. FRANCISCO
Special weather statement, Jul 11, 10:50 PM CDT, 4 hours 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1040PM CDT SAT JUL 11 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL IOWA TIL 1 AM... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR WEST CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST...AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA TONIGHT... ...NO SEVERE WEATHER REPORTED IN IOWA BETWEEN 940 PM AND 1040 PM... AT 1035 PM...SHOWERS AND INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER ABOUT THE NORTHERN HALF OF IOWA...GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM DUBUQUE TO 40 MILES NORTH OF OMAHA. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE IN WESTERN IOWA...IN A 20 MILE WIDE BAND THAT STRETCHED FROM JUST 30 MILES SOUTH OF SIOUX CITY TO SAC CITY... ABOUT 60 MILES EAST OF SIOUX CITY. BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAINS...SMALL PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL...AND WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. A SECOND CLUSTER OF STORMS WAS OVER NORTH CENTRAL IOWA NEAR FORT DODGE AND AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS ALSO LOCAATED JUST NORTH OF WATERLOO. THESE STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND SMALL HAIL. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR...WHILE THE ENTIRE AREA SAGGED SOUTH AT 5 TO 10 MILES AN HOUR. SCOTT/MILLER
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 12:42 AM CDT, 2 hours 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1240 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 5 AM... ...NO SEVERE WEATHER REPORTED IN IOWA BETWEEN 1130 PM AND 1230 AM... AT 1230 AM...SHOWERS AND INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER ABOUT THE NORTHERN THREE QUATERS OF THE STATE...GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF LINE FROM OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 20 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES TO 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS TO 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF DUBUQUE. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE IN A 30 MILES WIDE AREA THAT EXTENDED FROM OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 25 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES TO 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WATERLOO. BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAINS...PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL...AND WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR...WHILE THE ENTIRE AREA SAGGED SOUTH AT 5 TO 10 MILES AN HOUR. SCOTT/GOODSON
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 1:30 AM CDT, 1 hour 36 minutes before
URBAN FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 130 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987 AT 125 AM...SHOWERS AND INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEARING THE CITIES OF CEDAR RAPIDS AND DES MOINES. THE LEADING EDGE EXTENDED FROM 5 MILES WEST OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS AIRPORT TO 10 MILES NORTH OF THE DES MOINES AIRPORT. RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR OVER THE NEXT 2 HOURS IS LIKELY. FLOODING OF FAVORED LOW AREAS...UNDERPASSES AND ROADSIDE DITCHES WILL LIKELY OCCUR. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS RUNNING WATER OF UNKNOW DEPTH. PEA TO MARBLE-SIZED CAN BE EXPECTED AS WELL AS WINDS GUSTS TO 40 MILES AN HOUR. MYERS
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 1:47 AM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 145 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 5 AM... ...NO SEVERE WEATHER REPORTED IN IOWA BETWEEN 1230 AM AND 130 AM... AT 135 AM...SHOWERS AND INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER MUCH OF IOWA NORTH OF LINE FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE STATE TO DES MOINES TO CEDAR RAPIDS TO 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF DUBUQUE. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE IN A 40 MILES WIDE AREA THAT EXTENDED FROM 30 MILES EAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 20 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES TO 15 MILES WEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVE EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. GOODSON
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 2:45 AM CDT, 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 245 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 5 AM... ...NO SEVERE WEATHER REPORTED IN IOWA BETWEEN 130 AM AND 230 AM... AT 233 AM...SHOWERS AND INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER MUCH OF IOWA NORTH OF LINE FROM 20 MILES WEST OF LAMONI TO 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF OTTUMWA TO 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF DUBUQUE. HEAVY RAIN...PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE IN A 30 MILES WIDE AREA THAT EXTENDED FROM 40 MILES WEST OF LAMONI 30 SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES. PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS AS THE MOVE TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. GOODSON
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 11, 7:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Chickasaw | 64 min |
| Jul 11, 8:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Buena Vista, Pocahontas | 36 min |
| Jul 11, 11:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Marshall, Story | 40 min |
| Jul 11, 11:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Black Hawk, Grundy | 55 min |
| Jul 11, 11:57 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Marshall | 28 min |
| Jul 12, 3:05 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Ringgold, Taylor, Union | 4 hr |
| Jul 12, 3:05 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Adair, Adams | 65 min |
| Jul 12, 4:10 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Adams | 3 hr |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 1987Every flash flood warning in 1987
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.